Means for ventilating attic spaces



Sept. 19, 1944. E. o. HOWLE MEANS FOR VENTILATING ATTIC SPACES Filed April .19, 1943 I IN VEN TOR. j/"izeei (2 Howie-j. BY

Patented Sept. 19, 19 44 I 2,358,397 .7 MEANS FOR VENTILATING ATTIC SPACES .ErnestO. Howle, Chicago, Ill. AppI-ication- 'April- 19, 1943, Serial No. 483,678

3 Claims. (01. 98-46) The present invention relate to means for ventilating attic spaces of buildings and is more particularly directed to use in connection with low-pricedhousing projects.

Recently there have been erected many'lowpriced housing projectsso built that cost is reduced to a minimum, and efficiency and use to a maximum. H

In order to afiord adequate protection concerning temperature changes, it is the'usualpractice to insulate such buildings, and particularly the ceiling 'f'orming the floors of the atticspaces.

Experience has demonstrated that where attic spaces are not ventilated; the presence of the.

dead air deteriorates the'ceiling insulation, thus impairing the ceilings of thebuildings and at the same time reducing the heat insulation effect through th roof.

An object of the present invention is to pro vide a means for ventilating atti'c' spaces in which the fire hazard is eliminated. I 7

Another object of the invention is to provide means for insulating attic spaces, particularly in low-cost housing projects where maximum safety must be combined with minimum cost.

A further object of the invention is to provide ways and means for ventilatin attic spaces to prevent deterioration of the insulating material used in the ceiling construction.

The above, other and further objects of'the present invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing. The accompanying drawing illustrates preferred features of the present invention and-the'views thereof are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a chimney constructed of inner and outer pipes of metal, and a fragmental sectional view of a flat -roofshowing the manner of mounting the chimney with respect to th roof structure, and illustrating the ways and means of ventilating the attic space;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental view partially in section and. partially in elevation, showing adaptation 'of the present invention toa building having a sloping roof;

flat roof of 'a' building. 2 represents the ceiling, which, with the roof I, forms an attic space. 3.

The chimney, as illustrated, includes a flue A and a surrounding casing B, the latter of which extends upwardly from the roof and terminates adjacent the upper end of the flue. l The flueA is composed of sections of vitrified enamel pipe which sections 4 have lower male end portions 5 and upper female end portions '6. Spaced upwardly from the lower ends of the sec-v tions are outwardly extending beads or flanges I, so that when the sections are connected in nested relation, the bead l of one of the sections will rest on top of the upper margin of the female end 6 of the section next below it, and thus main-' tain the, flue in stacked relationship.

There is a top section comprising a flueportion 8 which telescopically engages the upper end of the uppermost of the sections A. Welded or otherwise secured to this top sectionil i a 'casingfi which is radially spaced from the portion 8,- and which has a lower female or skirt portion ID to engage over the upper end of the section next below it to provide a water-tight joint between the casing 9 and the portion 3 of'the casing next belowit,

IA basket 0 is provided for supporting the flue section of the chimney and-also for supporting the insulating member D'which surrounds the flue in its passage through the'ceiling 2, attic space 3, androof I.

The basket is provided. with a bottornl l'which centrally apertured at. l2 to surround. a flue section. The wall of th basket extends upwardly from-the bottom ll 'divergently, and nearits top I flange l3 pf the basket C may beutilizedto sup.-

port the adjacent margins of theceiling- 2, as illustrated in Figs..1. and 2. Flange] of the flue rest on the bottom of the basket to support the flue stack.

The casing B, as well as the portion 9 of the top section, are radially spaced from the. flueIA to form an air space I5 between the flue and. the asi For insulating the flue where" it passes through plate E a unitary structure.

the roof plate E.

251) a T i the ceiling, attic space and roof, there is provided an insulating member D herein illustrated as a unitary structure of the proper diameter and length. The inner diameter of this member is greater than the outer diameter of the flue A, so that when in position in the basket, th air space I! is provided between the flue and the member D. The memberD is provided with notch means I8 in its lower margin, so as to provide air entrance to the air space from the space between tlie exterior of the memberED and the inner surface of the basket 0. The parts are so constructed and arranged that the air space I1,

is in register with the air space l6.

For supporting the casing B on the 'roof, a

roof plate E is used. This plate has aflange portion l9 extensive enough to overlie and cover space and the air space. It is an important feature of the present invention that the vented air from the air space about the flue be delivered to the atmosphere far enough away from the roof so as to preclude any possibility of fire hazard.

The invention has been described herein more or less precisely as to details. stood that the invention is not to be limited thereby, as changes may be made in the arrangement and proportion of parts, and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the spirit 7 and scope of the invention.

ing having a roof and a ceiling defining the air space, a heater flue extending upwardly through I the ceiling and roof, a casing about the flue bethe opening in the roof through which the chimney passes. The roof plate E has an angularly flanged portion 2| which surrounds the upper end of 'the insulating member D. The casing; B is welded or otherwise attached to this flange 2| thus making the casing B and the roof In order that the air in the spaces It and Il may escape to the atmosphere, and, thus create circulation to withdraw air from the attic-space ,3,.the' portion 8- of the top. section; of the chimney isapertured at 22. It isto be understood that, as optional construction, instead orforming the apertures 22 During the winter time, when the building is being-heated, the flow of the: products of comb'ustion'througli the flue A will cause sufficient draft in the air space .to properly ventilate the attic space. During the summer time, when there 'is 'no.heat, circulation will be created by reason "of the factthat the air space I6. is in communication'with the atmosphere, and to prevent-mil- -dew.

It is to be observed that in the present inven- -"tion,-'the air escaping from the airspace 16' to the atmosphere does so at a point far enough Trom the roof I to liminates'any fire hazard, in the event that said escap'ing 'airshouldbe hot "enough to ignite roof. i I I Referring to FigfZ, the roof. I- is inclined. A basket C is attached to'theceiling framing 23 by nailing orothe'rwise securing the straps M to the "framing. The roof plate E is made with its flange I'Qat an angle to conform to the sloping of the roof. In thisform of the invention, 'the insul ating member D extends from the bot c'ombustible material in the torn ll of the basketiC, upwardly through the roof, where, it'is' surrounded by the flange 2 I of The present invention has been illustrated and explained in connection with afchimnej communication is established between the attic tweenthe roof and the upper end of the flue to 7 provide an air space, the upper end of said casing being sealed to the flue, a roof plate apertured having an apertured bottom encircling theflue with the upper end of'the basket opening into the --attic space, said flue having an annular flange to rest on the bottom of said basket to support the flue in position, an annular insulating membersurrounding the: flue and resting on the bottom of said basket in spaced relation to the flue to provide an air-space in communication with said first mentioned air space and with the exterior ofthe insulating member inwardly spaced ,from the basket wall, the length of said insulating member extending upwardly from the bottom of said basket through the ceiling and roof with its upper end terminating above the atmosphere.

being such that a path of air travel is provided from the attic space downwardly between the basket and insulating member through the notch means therein into the air space and thence upwardly and to the atmosphere adjacent the upper end of the flue, andmeans for the escape of air from the upper end of said air space to the 2. In a building construction, means for ventilating an attic space, in combination with a projecting below the ceiling with-the upper end of the basket opening into' the attic space between the roof and said ceiling, insulating material supported by said basket and surrounding the flue from a point below the ceiling to a point above the plane of the roof, said insulating-material being s'paced rrom the flue to provide an" air space therebetween in communication with the a r space between the flue and its casing and with the exterior of the insulating material inwardly spaced from the basket wall, 'meansfor'jairtravel from the space between the insulating material 'an'd basketwall to the space between the insulating material and the flue, saidbasket having'an apertured bottom through which the 'fiuefpasjses and which supports that portion of the flue above the basket bottom, said .flue having aflange. or

It is to be under bead in engagement with the basket bottom, and means providing communication between said air space and the interior of the flue to create draft from the attic space through said air space and to the atmosphere.

3. In a building structure, an air space defined by an upper member as a roof and a lower member as a ceiling or floor, a flue projecting ypwardly through said upper and lower members, casing means about said flue spaced from the flue to provide an air space therebetween, a roof plate connected to said casing means for supporting it, a basket hung from the lower member framework and projecting below said lower member with its upper end opening into said space, the bottom of said basket member being apert 3 tured to surround the flue, said flue being formed with a flange or bead for resting on the basket bottom to support the flue in position, insulating means extending along and surrounding said flue from a point below the lower member to a point above the upper member and resting on and supported by the basket bottom with an air space betweentthe flue and the insulating means, the exterior of said insulating means being inwardly spaced from the basket wall, means providing an air passage from the space between the basket wall and insulating means to the air space within said casing, and means for venting the last mentioned air space to the atmosphere.

ERNEST O: HOWLE. 

